Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan attended the Third Forum on China-Africa Local Government Cooperation in Beijing on May 8 and delivered a speech at the opening ceremony.

Wang Qishan said that socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era. The Chinese nation has achieved a tremendous transformation: it has stood up, grown rich, and is becoming strong. Wang said that China will unswervingly implement the strategy of opening up to the outside world for mutual benefit so as to realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. He noted that China is still a developing country and faces the principal contradiction of unbalanced and inadequate development. It is an arduous task and big challenge for China to win the battle of targeted poverty alleviation and achieve an all-round well-off society.

Wang said that China and Africa have always stuck with each other through thick and thin and supported each other. Under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation （FOCAC）, the local governments' exchanges and cooperation on poverty alleviation and sustainable development will help promote the comprehensive strategic cooperation partnerships between China and African nations.

On the sidelines of the forum, Wang respectively met with Brigi Rafini, Prime Minister of Niger, and Salim Ahmed Salim, former Prime Minister of Tanzanian and President of Tanzania-China Friendship Promotion Association.

When meeting with Rafini, Wang conveyed Chinese President Xi Jinping's sincere greetings to Nigerien President Mahamadou Issoufou.  Wang said that profound traditional friendship and similar struggles enable Chinese people to better understand African people’s concern over development.  It is our shared aspiration to promote cooperation and common development. Wang said that China has maintained fruitful cooperation with Niger in various fields in recent years and will make efforts to lift bilateral ties to a new high.
Rafini also conveyed the Nigerien president's greetings to President Xi.  He said that Niger appreciates China's remarkable achievements of development as well as China’s help and support to Niger.   Niger is pleased to see China playing a more important role in the international community and hopes to learn from China's experiences on development.

When meeting with Salim, Wang conveyed President Xi's cordial greetings to Tanzanian President John Magufuli. He said that China-Tanzania friendship, which was forged by older generations of leadership of both sides, has gone from strength to strength. He also appreciated Salim’s significant contributions to China-Tanzania friendship. Since an action speaks louder than a dozen of guiding principles, Wang said he expects China-Tanzania ties will continue to advance through concrete cooperation projects under the guidance of the leaders of both sides.

Salim also conveyed the Tanzanian president's greetings to President Xi, saying that China has sincerely helped Africa's development and is a true friend of Tanzania. He hoped that the two sides will conduct in-depth exchanges and cooperation at all levels, and continue to consolidate and develop the traditional friendship between Tanzania and China.